Croesor Rhosydd x

Location
SH 657 456 (top entrance)

Directions
I have forgotten … if someone would post them this can be updated.

Access
No known permission required.

Suggested Equipment
Full SRT, Buoyancy aid (lifejacket), pulley for the zip line, dinghy, rope

Length
Unknown but extensive

Flood risk
Unknown but water is present (in great depth) in some chambers although this is not known to rise to flood.

Mine Attributes
Slate Mine. Extensive caverns. Multiple levels. Abseils, Prussocks, lakes (flooded chambers), zip lines, challenging bridges (as in there is not much left of them)

Description
A huge complex of slate workings.

A very popular through trip due to it’s sporting nature and full array of skills needed.

There are a number of entrances and it is possible to enter an adit low down in Croesor and walk through to the back entrance without the use of any equipment at all (except a lamp of course). The more popular route is to enter at the top and work through down two pitches, across a zip line, across a lake (once by suspended ladder which is now on the floor of the lake due to part of the ceiling collapsing onto it), across two bridges and another lake by dinghy and then a prussock up to finally come out of the back of the mountain.

Beyond this through trip there are a great many adits and passages to explore.

It is also worthy of note that a large amount of the system has partly collapsed (the ceiling) and is likely to continue to do so.

Unexplored Passages
A great many remain unexplored

Digs
None Known

Links
http://www.mine-explorer.co.uk/mines/Croesor_195/Croesor.asp

http://www.eldonpotholeclub.org.uk/croesor.html

http://www.aditnow.co.uk/album/Croesor-Rhosydd-Through-Trip-13-01-2007/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croesor_Quarry

http://www.ajw-photography.co.uk/subwales/mines/croesor.html

http://sleepycity.net/posts/136/UK_Blitz_-_Croesor_Rhosydd

http://www.swcc.org.uk/images/mines/mines07/slides.html

http://www.undergroundadventure.co.uk/?p=33

http://ukcaving.com/wiki/index.php/Croesor_Rhosydd_Through_Trip

http://www.heneb.co.uk/ffestiniogcharacter/ffestlanengfol12.html

The upper entrance





The first abseil





The first zip line





The bridge before it collapsed





The dinghy ride (pull yourself along)

A short scramble up after the long walk in the entrance adit





....Something ....





.... Something else ...





On the first zip line

The first dinghy ride (in lieu of the bridge that has now collapsed)




The first bridge of death





The second bridge of death which includes a short zip line





A short abseil down to the dinghy ride (self-pulling)

In the first adit at the top entrance





The blue blue water





The prussock up after the dinghy ride





Some steps made and used by Old Man





Two turntables at a junction

An exit from Rhosydd (or entrance) Level 9

A ventilation shaft into Rhosydd which utilises the flow of water to force air down

More pictures from inside Rhosydd No.9 Level (Grid Ref SH 665 463)






The mighty Rhosydd No.9 Adit






A "thing" in the adit ceiling (there were a number of these along the way)







A sulphur intrusion in the rock








A dazzling display of pin crystals (sorry I am crap at photography)







One of the numerous passages running off the main adit